When did fans get tired of Pepe?

Truthfully I haven't had much exposure to Pepe myself. There was a long stretch there when I didn't pay much attention to the Muppets. The only post Jim Henson stuff I've seen was MCC, MTI, The Muppets Christmas movie that aired in prime time a few years back and a few episodes of Muppets Tonight. I have a bit of catching up to do it seems. From what I've seen of Pepe I like him but he'll never be on the level of characters like Kermit, Rowlf or Gonzo to me.

Well, I could say Muppet Oz completely sucked lemons, but from me, that's a redundant statement. Honestly, I feel Pepe saved MFS (Bobo did too) and Oz to an extent along with the other newer characters. I seriously doubt Rowlf would have worked as Toto anyway (I'd think Foo Foo would be a better choice). At least. in the film they were going for.

To me, characters like Johnny, Sal, Bobo, VanNeuter, Pepe and Big Mean Carl were gems in a rough patch of an uneven TV show that were thankfully resurrected. Unfortunately, we lost Sal and VanNeuter when Brian left the Disney owned Muppets (a shame). I wish that there was some way to keep on Polly Lobster (but Kevin's too busy with Elmo) and Clueless Morgan on too. I notice they've taken to having some of the pirates from MTI reused lately as well.

Click to expand...

Yeah, but Foo Foo's always with Miss Piggy who played Witch of the West. Though, Ashanti as Dorothy is part of what made it possibly the worst Muppet movie.

I just couldn't see Rowlf as Toto. Not by a long shot. Of all the complaints everyone has about that film, that's the one I just can't agree with at all. I mean, it sorta, kinda worked with Muppet Babies (haven't seen it in a while, though), but Rowlf's an old soul that likes to make cheerful wisecracks. If they needed Toto to be a dog, they'd need something more yappy and prone to get into trouble. And I just can't see Rowlf as a pet at all. He's his own dog. He takes himself for a walk.

Pepe sort of works in that role, and he pretty much was one of the few highlights that thing had to offer. I dunno... I could discuss Pepe's role, but then again, but then this would turn into the "what went wrong with MOz" thread. And the answer is, so... so much.

I just couldn't see Rowlf as Toto. Not by a long shot. Of all the complaints everyone has about that film, that's the one I just can't agree with at all. I mean, it sorta, kinda worked with Muppet Babies (haven't seen it in a while, though), but Rowlf's an old soul that likes to make cheerful wisecracks. If they needed Toto to be a dog, they'd need something more yappy and prone to get into trouble. And I just can't see Rowlf as a pet at all. He's his own dog. He takes himself for a walk.

Pepe sort of works in that role, and he pretty much was one of the few highlights that thing had to offer. I dunno... I could discuss Pepe's role, but then again, but then this would turn into the "what went wrong with MOz" thread. And the answer is, so... so much.

Click to expand...

I like Muppet's Wizard of Oz, it's just not the best one. I agree, but I can't see Pepe as a pet either. Maybe they could have reused the dog from Bunny Picnic. He could even make a joke about his full name being. Toto Bebop Diddly Dog Bop (Sorry if I said it wrong)

I liked seeing another Hispanic Muppet (Rosita on Sesame Street being the only other one) But, Pepe and Rizzo were paired together in Muppets From Space, as opposed to Gonzo and Rizzo I wasn't too happy about that. They should have kept Seymour around if only to be Pepe's sidekick because Gonzo and Rizzo are the dynamic duo, not Rizzo and Pepe.

The problem with Seymour is that all he is is Pepe's sidekick. I don't know where he's fit personally in the grand scheme of things. Pepe managed to come into his own, but Seymour could very well end up being a third wheel in sequences. I am curious to see how he'd have been performed and placed within the Muppets, but even then, he was performed by Brian. He's too busy with JHC to be any of his characters anyway (which is why we need to recast Sal if we ever wanna see Johnny again), so he wouldn't have been able to perform Seymour lately anyway.

Still, I really wonder how things would have worked out had they kept him.

I liked seeing another Hispanic Muppet (Rosita on Sesame Street being the only other one) But, Pepe and Rizzo were paired together in Muppets From Space, as opposed to Gonzo and Rizzo I wasn't too happy about that. They should have kept Seymour around if only to be Pepe's sidekick because Gonzo and Rizzo are the dynamic duo, not Rizzo and Pepe.

Click to expand...

You're right Mokey, Rizzo and Gonzo have been particular friends since MCC and the movie would have been even better if they had more bonding time.

I've always found Pepe mildly amusing and he tends to bring out the best in Bill, however, I'd prefer to see Rowlf or Dr Teeth getting more screen time. They are Jim's characters after all

I think the issue with Pepe is that he came out of a failed TV series and never had the chance to properly develop. The other characters had five seasons of the Muppet Show and then 8 movies to develop while Pepe kind of had to grab on to a niche and hope to Henson that he could withstand time.

I think a TV show would be very kind to Pepe in that he could grow past being a womanising, annoying shrimp- oops, I mean King Prawn!

Yeah, well, we can all relate to Walter, because of the fact that we are all Muppet fans. But, Pepe came in during the Muppets Tonight-era where some of the new characters weren't that great, ( but, for some reason, I really liked Seymour.)

I've never cared for Pepe. He was always too obnoxious and never really seemed to fit in with the rest of the Muppet crowd, and never really seemed like he wanted to. I'm really happy the new films have been using him in such small doses. After MWoO I was getting worried.